Bringing Up Teddy
by kmcr097
Summary: The summer after the Battle of Hogwarts Harry and Teddy come to stay at the Burrow, leaving Ginny to care for Teddy while Harry is training to become an auror. Ginny struggles with the challenges of caring for an infant, as well as with her future with Harry and her decision about whether to continue at Hogwarts. Canon.
1. Chapter 1 - Teddy at the Burrow

Ginny stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her. She stomped across the yard to the orchard where she promptly burst into tears.

Curling up next to her favorite tree, she wrapped her arms around her knees, a wave of familiarity washing over her. How many times in her childhood had she sat in this same place in this same position, crying her eyes out? It had been years since she had hidden in the orchard, but her mother hadn't forgotten where to find her. Mere moments later Ginny heard the inevitable: "Ginerva Weasley, get back here this moment!"

Ginny didn't move. She had no intention of going back in to the house ever again. As far as she was concerned the Burrow had become a place of personal torture. She wiped her eyes, knowing that her mother would not be sympathetic. Sure enough, there was Molly Weasley, rounding the corner with a large wooden spoon in one hand and her wand in the other. Ginny shrunk down as small as possible, though she knew she would not be able to escape notice.

Molly didn't even pause to look around. She walked right over to Ginny's tree, pointing her spoon at Ginny furiously. "Young lady, you go back in there this instant. I do not have time for this nonsense."

Molly's anger brought the stubborn side out in Ginny, and she found she no longer felt like crying. Instead, she stood up and glared back at her mother. "No." Molly's eyes widened in momentary shock. Ginny stood a little taller knowing she was probably the first of Molly's children to ever stand up to her. "No, I won't go back. Teddy is not my responsibility. I didn't sign up for any of this, and I can't take any more crying. You take care of him, god knows you have plenty of experience."

To Ginny's surprise, her mother's expression softened, and she lowered her spoon. "Oh baby." Molly's tone was gentle, comforting. "I know this is hard for you."

But Ginny wasn't done shouting. "No you don't! You have no idea! I shouldn't have to take care of a baby, I'm not even seventeen yet! I was responsible, and here I am, still stuck taking care of an infant like any idiot drop-out. And he just never stops _crying_!" She burst into tears again.

When she felt her mother's arms wrap around her, Ginny cried even harder. "That's right sweetheart, let it all out." Her mother's hands stroked her hair.

"You're right, it's not fair. It's not fair that Remus and Nymphadora died so young. It's not fair that Teddy has nobody in the world but Andromeda. And it's not fair that Andromeda should have to raise a child at her age. None of this is fair."

Molly pulled Ginny away from her, wiping her daughter's eyes. "But honey, Harry did the right thing bringing Teddy here. Andromeda has enough to deal with, losing her husband and daughter all in one year. She'll take Teddy again in a few months, but in the meantime we need to help Harry take care of him."

"You're right Mum," Ginny said, sniffling. "But why did Harry volunteer to take Teddy if he's going to be gone all day?"

Molly laughed. "Men aren't known for thinking ahead sweetheart. I don't think he thought about how time consuming auror training would be."

"Well he should have," Ginny grumbled.

"We can complain about men all day long," Molly chuckled, "but right now we need to get inside. Goodness only knows what's going through poor Teddy's little mind right now."

"He probably doesn't even realize we're gone. How could he even notice through all that screaming?"

"All the same, we can't leave a baby alone in the house."

As they walked back to the Burrow together, Ginny turned to her mother, feeling suddenly very vulnerable. "Mum?"

"Yes Ginny?"

"Please don't tell Harry."

* * *

Back inside the Burrow, Ginny dragged her feet back to Percy's old room. She couldn't hear any crying. That was strange. Was Teddy okay? But as she peered over the crib she found him fast asleep. She gaped stupidly. The baby had been awake for almost six hours, and he'd cried for most of it. _I guess he finally wore himself out. _She collapsed onto Harry's bed in relief.

As she lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, Ginny noticed yet again how much the room had changed since Harry moved in a month ago. Of all her siblings Ginny had been closer to Percy than anyone, which had made his betrayal hurt all the more. She was the only one in the family who hadn't really forgiven him yet, but then he hadn't even bothered to apologize to _her_. Still, she thought back on the times she had spent in Percy's room, watching him work, with some fondness. Back then he had been a caring big brother, always looking out for her and protecting her - or trying to - from Fred and George's pranks.

Back when Percy had lived here the main piece of furniture had been a desk, tidy, yet full of parchment and books. Percy had kept all of his old school notes and assignments in boxes next to the desk. Hermes's cage had sat near the window, so clean you could eat off the bottom. And on the small dresser his prefect badge always sat next to a faded old picture of the family, taken when Ginny was only a baby. And, for a year or so, a picture of Penelope Clearwater had been there as well, she remembered with a smile. But there had been no posters or old toys or any of the other clutter that usually fills up a room.

Now the room showed clear signs of young male habitation. Clothing was strewn about the floor, mostly in need of washing by the look of it. Harry's old school trunk sat propped open in the corner, books thrown in haphazardly, while carefully propped against the wall was a well-kept broomstick. The small dresser was now littered with pieces of parchment that appeared to be old birthday cards, and on the walls were tacked several Chudley Cannons posters that Ginny suspected had been gifts from Ron. The only thing out of place was the crib next to the bed.

_It even smells like him_, she thought, turning her face into his pillow and inhaling. Her heart fluttered as she remembered vividly one summer day on the Hogwarts grounds. Closing her eyes, she smiled and let the memory wash over her.

The next thing Ginny knew, Harry was standing over her, scratching the back of his head absentmindedly and smiling. She'd forgotten how cute he looked when he did that.

"Did I fall asleep or something?" She looked around for a clock. What time was it?

"Ron would kill me if he knew you were sleeping in my room." Harry looked sheepish.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Ron can get over himself. I spend the entire day taking care of a baby that sleeps in your room."

"Your mom probably wouldn't be thrilled either."

Ginny stood up and stretched. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

Harry grinned. Ginny was suddenly aware of how close they were, alone for the first time in almost a year. Her heart pounded in her chest. Harry took a step closer to her, wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. He held her face in his other hand, and as she leaned in-  
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Ginny flinched, her eyes flew open. She sighed. "Oh, Teddy, not again."

"I'll get him." Before Ginny had a chance to protest Harry was lifting Teddy from his crib.

Teddy's face was beet red, his little hands balled up into fists as he screamed as loudly as his little lungs would allow. His hair, which while he slept had been mousy blonde, was now the same red as his face. But the moment he saw his godfather's face he stopped crying and his hair turned the exact shade of bubble-gum pink Tonks had always worn.

"Hey Teddy." Harry always spoke to Teddy is his normal voice, no baby talk. "You hungry?"

To Ginny's utter disbelief, Teddy actually smiled at him.

"Let's go get you a bottle."

"Uh, Harry?" Ginny said, snapping out of her momentary stupor. "He probably needs to be changed first."

Harry lifted Teddy in the air and cautiously sniffed his butt. Ginny knew she was right when he made a disgusted face. "How did you know?"  
Ginny shrugged. "What else would have woken him up?"

While Harry changed Teddy, Ginny headed downstairs to help her mother set up for dinner. Up the stairs she could hear the sounds of baby screams again, and she thanked her lucky stars that Harry was home and dealing with it. _You know things are bad when you would rather help Mum set-up for dinner, _she thought dejectedly.

* * *

Dinner was a subdued event that evening. For once there were no guests, just Ginny, her parents, and Ron and Harry. It was a strangely small party for the Burrow, and they didn't fill the large table even halfway. Teddy, who Harry had somehow managed to get to sleep again, was in his crib, which Harry had conjured in the kitchen.

"Harry, have some more potatoes." Molly stood up and spooned them on his plate before he had a chance to accept.

"Oy, what about me?" Ron complained halfheartedly.

"Shut up Ron, you've already had three servings," Ginny snapped.

"There's plenty for everyone to have more." Molly shot Ginny a look before serving Ron as well.

"He's old enough to get his own potatoes," Ginny grumbled to herself.

"Well so is Harry, and you don't see anyone complaining about Mum serving him," Ron shot back.

The bickering had become almost an evening ritual. Ron was irritable and Ginny was impatient. Every little comment could set them off, and Molly was too weary to bother telling them off.

"You know perfectly well that Harry is too polite to take seconds even if there was enough to feed an army," Ginny retorted. "Although you would probably eat it all before the army could even get near."

"We're working hard all day, I need nourishment," Ron complained. "What are you doing, just sitting around playing with the baby?"

"Ron and I found a place," Harry interrupted before Ginny had the chance to say something nasty.

Molly looked up from her food. "A place?"

"Yeah. We want to get out of your hair in September. Ginny'll be going back to Hogwarts, and Teddy will be back with his grandmother by then, so we figured we'd give you and Mr. Weasley some space."

Arthur smiled. "Well, I can't say it won't be nice to have some peace and quiet in here again." But Molly looked closer to tears.

"We'll still come over for dinner all the time," said Ron, looking alarmed.

"Of course you will." Arthur patted Molly's hand reassuringly. "So where is this place?"

"It's an apartment in London, near Diagon Alley." Harry fiddled with his watch. "It's kind of small, but compared to living in a tent for almost a year I think we'll be fine."

Ginny smirked. "I have a hard time picturing you and Ron keeping any place clean enough to live in without Hermione picking up after you."

"Kreacher's going to live with us."

"You found an apartment with a servant's quarters?" Molly asked, surprised. "How unusual."

"No." Harry shrugged. "I just got a third bedroom for Kreacher."

Ron grinned. "It was the only way we could get Hermione to agree to letting Kreacher keep working at his age. He's going to hate having a room all to himself."

"If it has three bedrooms it can't be _that _small." Ginny thought aloud.

"Well to fit three bedrooms in we had to give up almost all the living space," Harry explained, "and the bathroom is about the size of a closet."

"It's perfect," Ron said. "Exactly what you would expect from a bachelor pad." Ginny snorted.

"What about Grimmauld Place?" asked Arthur.

For some reason, Ginny thought she saw Harry blush. "Well, I figure Kreacher won't be able to fill his entire day taking care of such a small apartment, so I thought he could spend the rest of the day cleaning Grimmauld Place."

"But that place is a total dump," Ginny said. "Even if it was clean, you wouldn't want to live there with that horrid tapestry, and Mrs. Black screaming all day, and all the elf heads on the wall."

"I'm going to use my parents' gold to pay experts to come get rid of all that stuff once Kreacher gets it clean," Harry explained. "I think that's what they would want."

"I think that's a wonderful idea Harry," Mrs. Weasley said. Ginny thought she saw Harry blushing again, and he definitely wasn't meeting anyone's eye.

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley."

After dinner, Ginny thought about Harry's strange behavior while she helped Molly clean. She had known Harry for a long time, and the only time she could ever remember seeing him blush was when he had talked about Cho Chang. Ginny glowered. She knew it was silly to still be jealous, Harry had hardly even looked at her the night of the Battle of Hogwarts, but she still hated Cho.

_Why was he acting so weird? _she thought again. _Is there something going on at Grimmauld Place? _

The longer she thought, the more she realized that she didn't really care. What was really bothering her was that Harry was leaving the Burrow. He had been living there almost a month, and Ginny had gotten used to seeing him every morning at breakfast and every night before bed. The last year had been so terrible, not knowing where he was or if he was even alive. From now on Ginny wanted to keep him as close as possible.

_Well you need to get over _that _as quickly as possible, _she reprimanded herself. _You have to go back to Hogwarts this year, and Harry won't be there._

For first time in her entire life Ginny wasn't looking forward to going to Hogwarts. Sure, Hermione would be there, but it just wouldn't be the same without Harry. Besides, she knew that everywhere she turned she would be faced with terrible memories. How could she eat in the Great Hall ever again after crying over Lupin and Tonks and -

She stopped thinking. She couldn't allow herself to continue. If her mother saw her crying over Fred she would be in tears for the rest of the night. Ginny had to be strong.

"Mum? I'm going to go help Harry give Teddy his bath. Do you need any more help with the dishes?"

Molly didn't even glance up. "Go ahead dear."

Ginny trudged up the stairs. She loved Teddy, but taking care of him all day was really starting to take a toll. He was a real handful, and he was having a lot of trouble adjusting to life without his parents. Listening to him cry was exhausting in a way she had never experienced before, and she expected he would cry through his bath. He usually did.

But when she opened Harry's bedroom door all weariness evaporated. Harry lay sprawled on the bed, fast asleep, his glasses askew and a textbook open on his chest. Teddy snuggled next to him holding Harry's finger in one hand and sucking on the other, his hair back to its mousy blonde color.

Ginny felt a pang of guilt as she realized how tired Harry must be. She knew Teddy still woke him up in the middle of the night, hungry. And auror training must be very difficult, even more so for Harry and Ron since they hadn't finished their N.E.W.T. level classes. She wondered how late he stayed up each night studying. And after all he had been through in the last year... Yet Harry had never complained or let on how exhausted he was.

As she watched the boys sleep, Ginny resolved to stop feeling sorry for herself and to take care care of Teddy without complaint.

She tip-toed into the room and gingerly pried Teddy's fingers from Harry's hands. She slowly lifted him off the bed, careful not to bump Harry, and carried him down the hall for his bath.


	2. Chapter 2 - Friday Night Dinner

Teddy continued to wail as Ginny rubbed her temples. She flicked through the pages of the book, looking for any advice. Nothing.

"Ginerva!" Molly walked into the room, a look of horror on her face. "Get that baby off the floor! He's screaming like a banshee."

"I think he's supposed to be crying," Ginny shouted over the wailing. "It says to leave him on his stomach for at least five minutes, even if he hates it."

"What says?"

"I don't know, some muggle book about babies that Hermione sent over."

"The muggles think you're supposed to leave a crying baby on the ground?"

"It's called tummy-time. The book says it helps his development and that eventually he'll enjoy it."

Molly shook her head. "Well does he have to do this 'tummy-time' right now? Andromeda is going to be here for dinner soon. She'll think we're murdering her grandson."

Ginny was all too happy for an excuse to pick Teddy up. She had been skeptical enough about this muggle book before the tummy-time fiasco. She decided to ask Hermione about it at dinner. Maybe it was just one of those stupid muggle superstitions and she could stop doing it.

As she bounced Teddy, his hair slowly faded from fire-red to the more natural color that matched Ginny's hair. She'd gotten a lot better at soothing Teddy in the last week, and as they'd gotten closer he'd started imitating her hair color. Ginny wondered, again, whether he did it on purpose or not.

Teddy continued to cry, but in a more pathetic, half-hearted way that told Ginny he just couldn't think of anything better to do. "Shhh, shhh, shhh," she cooed in rhythm with her bounces. "Don't cry little Teddy. Shhh, shhh, shhh."

Slowly Teddy stopped crying. Ginny set him in his crib and watched him play with his hands. Deciding he was probably done crying for the moment, she sat on the sofa and continued skimming through the book.

"Mum?" she shouted across the house, "What makes a mirror 'baby-safe'?"

"Is there some kind of anti-breaking charm?" Molly shouted back from the kitchen. "Because that seems useful for more than just babies."

"It's a muggle book Mum, there's no charms."

Molly walked into a room holding a bowl of potatoes being stirred by a large wooden spoon. "Why does he need a mirror?"

Ginny shrugged. "The book says it would be a fun toy for him."

"He needs new clothes anyway, he's getting a little big for those. We'll send Harry to Diagon Alley this weekend. Maybe the baby store will have this baby-safe mirror."

Their discussion was interrupted by a knock on the door. "That'll be Mrs. Tonks," Ginny said. "Nobody else ever bothers to knock." She picked up Teddy and carried him to the door with her. His grandmother would want to see him first thing.

Sure enough, the moment Ginny opened the door Andromeda Tonks reached for her grandson. "Hello Teddy-weddy, grandma missed you, yes she did." She glanced at Ginny. "Thank you dear." Then she sat on the sofa and began playing with Teddy, grabbing at his flailing hands.

As Ginny watched Mrs. Tonks, she noticed how different she looked from the summer before. Her hair was almost completely gray, and her beautiful eyes were lined with wrinkles. She stood less tall than she had in the past, and she had a general look of sadness, though she was smiling now. While the change in appearance was sad because it was a sign of her grief, Ginny was selfishly glad of it. She looked different enough now that she no longer reminded Ginny of the hateful Lestrange woman.

"He's getting so big," Mrs. Tonks commented, looking up.

Ginny smiled. "Mum just mentioned that he was outgrowing his clothes."

"Does he need new ones?"

"Oh, please, don't worry about it Mrs. Tonks. Harry will insist on taking care of it himself."

Mrs. Tonks smiled. "Of course he will. He's a remarkable young man."

Ginny was saved from finding a suitable response by her mother's entrance. "Andromeda, it's so nice to see you." Mrs. Tonks stood up and the two women hugged, Teddy squished in between them, fussing in protest.

Ginny snuck out while the older women chatted. They had become quite close since the Battle of Hogwarts, each needing sympathy from someone who could understand the loss of a child. They would have plenty to gossip about and most likely wouldn't even notice Ginny was gone. She went to her room to wait for Hermione.

* * *

Friday night dinners had become quite the affair. It had happened gradually and almost on accident, but they could usually count on at least eight people each week. Percy, George, and Hermione, of course, were already in several times a week and never missed a Friday night. Bill, Fleur, and Mrs. Tonks were usually present as well. And once, Hermione had even brought her parents to Arthur Weasley's unending delight.

This evening it was a full house; everyone but the Graingers was there. Molly had set up dinner out on the lawn, the tables and chairs all different shapes and sizes but with room for all. Ginny sat next to Harry, holding his hand under the table. Across from them, Ron and Hermione were showing their affection more conspicuously, gazing into each other's eyes, Ron's arm around Hermione's shoulder, occasionally stealing a quick kiss.

At the center of the table sat Ginny's brothers. George still looked terrible: bags under his eyes, hair uncut and unkempt, clothes dirty. It still broke Ginny's heart to see him without Fred. Of all the terrible things that happened in the war, Fred's death was undoubtedly the cruelest. Ginny didn't know if George would ever really recover.

Next to George, Percy was talking more animatedly than normal, trying to get George to talk, or even smile. A week or two ago Percy had moved in with George, and was helping him keep the shop running. This new friendship between her brothers still puzzled Ginny. Fred and George were the only people more angry at Percy than herself before the Battle of Hogwarts, yet Percy had taken Fred's loss harder than anyone but her mother and George. Grief brought people together, she supposed.

Across from Percy and George, Bill and Fleur sat quietly. Marriage was certainly suiting Fleur who looked more than usually beautiful. "Glowing" Harry had said while Ginny rolled her eyes. The boys always thought she was glowing. It was that veela blood. Bill also looked happy. Now that his scars were healed they made him look quite handsome, she thought.

At the far end of the table her father sat at the head, with her mother and Mrs. Tonks on either side. Mrs. Tonks ate expertly with one hand while holding Teddy in the other, frequently pausing to coo at him. The older women hadn't stopped gossiping since Mrs. Tonks arrived, and Ginny thought her father looked rather weary of the whole thing.

"What did you think of the book?" Hermione asked Ginny, snapping her from her reverie.

Ginny shook her head. "That muggle stuff can't really work. Do you know it actually told me to put the baby on his stomach and leave him there for at least five minutes, no matter how much he cried?"

Hermione smiled. "Actually, the woman who wrote that book was a squib."

"What?"

"It's true. Apparently she married a muggle, and she couldn't find any wizarding books about babies, so she read all the muggle books. She ended up writing the definitive book, so no witches have ever had to write anything else."

"Never?" Ginny didn't believe it. "What about when the babies get sick?"

"Well, there are a couple short books about specific problems like dragon pox, but nothing so comprehensive."

"So there's really no books for witches?"

"They all use that one. It's a special edition with a preface for witches, if you want to read it."

Ginny looked down the table at Teddy. His hair was bubble-gum pink again, and he was smiling happily at his grandmother. "I don't know why Mrs. Tonks doesn't take him home. Look how happy he is with her, and I'm doing such a terrible job."

"I'm sure you're doing a fantastic job Ginny," Hermione reassured her. "Way better than I could ever do."

"I have no idea what I'm doing."

"Neither does Ron," Harry butted in. The three of them stared at him. Who expected Ron to know about Teddy? "At auror training," Harry clarified. "It was a joke," he finished lamely.

"Mate, that was just about the worse joke I've ever heard," Ron laughed.

"You're timing was definitely off," agreed Ginny.

"It had nothing to do with what Ginny said, Harry," added Hermione.

Harry rubbed the back of his head and smiled good-naturedly. "I'm not even sure what you were talking about."

Ginny nudged him playfully. "Then you should have kept your mouth shut."

"I got tired of talking to your brother."

"He is a bit of an idiot," Ginny agreed.

"Hey, I'm right here, you know," Ron protested.

Ginny grinned at Harry. They might not be stealing kisses at dinner, but they were happy, right? Harry smiled back and squeezed her hand, causing her heart to flutter. Ugh, this is so childish, Ginny thought. Are we really back to hand holding? How old are we?

Harry must have seen the change in her expression, because he hurried to fill the silence. "So are you two looking forward to going back to Hogwarts?"

Hermione practically bounced out of her seat. "Ooooo, Harry, did you hear? Professor McGonagall was offered the permanent position of Headmistress! It was in the Daily Prophet this morning."

"I did see her picture on the front page, but I didn't read it. Good for her."

Hermione sighed. "Harry, what is the point of ordering the Prophet if you aren't even going to read it? Didn't you learn anything two years ago?"

"Why would he need to read it when you're just going to tell us everything in it?" Ron pointed out.

"Is McGonagall going to keep teaching Transfiguration?" Ginny asked. "Because I don't want to keep taking it if someone else is teaching."

Hermione stared at her. "Ginny, you don't have enough classes to drop it."

"I don't even care about Transfiguration, I was only taking it because I like McGonagall so much. It's not like I need it if I'm going to play Quidditch."

"You like McGonagall?" Ron asked, dumbfounded.

"Besides, I'm not really looking forward to going to Hogwarts anyway." Ginny said, ignoring Ron.

"Why not?" Harry asked. "I wish I was going back."

"Then come with us Harry," Ginny said urgently. "Please, come to Hogwarts with us."

"What about me?" asked Ron.

Ginny continued to ignore her brother. "Seriously Harry. Think about how much easier your auror training would be if you finished your N.E.W.T. level classes. And you know McGonagall would probably make you Head Boy. Plus, we could play Quidditch together one more year. Are you really never going to play Quidditch again?"

"We already talked about this," Harry said. "You're already Quidditch Captain, I would just be in the way. Take the Firebolt, you'll be unstoppable as a Seeker without it."

"What about your N.E.W.T.s?"

Harry shrugged. "The ministry said Ron and I don't need them,. We have more experience than most of their veterans. We don't really need to go back to Hogwarts."

"But you want to. And Hermione is."

"We tried to talk Hermione out of it," pointed out Ron.

"No, Ron, you tried to talk me out of it," Hermione said.

Ron shrugged, grinning. "Can you blame me? How am I going to ever see you if you're locked up in that castle all year long?"

Yeah Harry, Ginny thought. How are you going to see me if I'm locked up in a castle all year long?

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ronald, my education is much more important. You'll be there forever, Hogwarts won't."

Ginny wished she felt as sure. While spending time with Harry this summer had been nice, it wasn't like it had been back at Hogwarts. She had once been sure that as soon as Voldemort was gone he would want to be with her again. But maybe the war had changed too much in Harry. She didn't know what happened the year that he, Ron, and Hermione had been gone, but none of them were the same. What if there was no going back?

"Excuse me." Bill stood up at the center of the table, bringing the various conversations to a stop. "Fleur and I have an announcement to make."

"Bill and I," Fleur continued. smiling radiantly, "are 'aving a leetle baby."

The shriek that came from the end of the table completely covered all other congratulations. Molly jumped to her feet and hurried to pull both Bill and Fleur into a noisy hug. Ginny caught only bits of her jumbled declarations of joy, but "first grandchild" was repeated several times. After several more tearful hugs, she hurried off, insisting that nobody leave before a cake was ready so they could all celebrate the good news.

* * *

After everyone else was gone, Ginny found herself sitting on her bed with Hermione as they had done so many summers before. "That's so great about Bill and Fleur, isn't it?" Hermione asked.

"I guess so."

"Is something wrong? You've been acting moody all night."

"Moody?" Ginny scowled.

"Honestly, you're reminding me of Harry the summer the Order moved in at Grimmauld Place."

Ginny winced. "That bad? Sorry."

"Ginny, what's going on?"

Ginny was quiet for a minute, drawing on her with her finger. "Hermione, how are okay with going to Hogwarts without Ron?" she asked finally.

Hermione looked surprised. "Is this about Harry?"

"Yeah. I know it's probably stupid, but things just haven't been the way I thought they would be. I mean, he's been living here for a month and he hasn't even kissed me."

"Do you think he doesn't love you anymore?"

Ginny sighed. "I don't know, there's been a couple of times, like when we were laughing at Ron tonight, when I was sure that he still did. But then the rest of the time... I just don't know."

"Has he said anything to you?"

"Nothing," Ginny said, shaking her head. "But then, we never really needed to say anything before. Whatever was going to happen next, we both just knew." She sighed. "We used to understand each other so well, but ever since he got back from ... wherever you were last year, I don't feel like I know him as well."

Hermione looked thoughtful. "It never occurred to me how hard it must have been on you to be left out of everything."

"I'm used to being left out. Harry's always had secrets." Ginny paused. "Well, maybe not from you, but from the rest of us he has. And I've always been okay with that. He's Harry Potter, his life is bigger than me. But all three of you changed."

"Ginny, have you asked Harry about what happened?"

"Well, no. I guess I thought that since he didn't need to keep secrets anymore he would come talk to me whenever he was ready."

Hermione nodded. "But this is Harry. He's so used to secrets that it probably hasn't even occurred to him that he can talk to you about it."

"It must be nice for you." Ginny said. "Ron was there with you. He knows exactly what happened."

"Well, it wasn't nice at the time," said Hermione, smiling, "but I don't know if we'd even be together now if it hadn't been for everything we've been through together." She fiddled with her hair nervously. "Ron's not very good at talking about his feelings, and I don't know if he ever would have if it hadn't been for the locket."

"The locket?" Ginny asked.

"Ask Harry," said Hermione, firmly. "You deserve to hear it from him."

"So how is it going with Ron?" Even though Ginny knew Hermione had been crazy about Ron for years, but she still couldn't picture her brother in a mature relationship.

Hermione smiled again in the most adorably girlish way. "It's so good. I've never been this happy."

"But what's it like? Do you guys, like, talk about things?"

"Actually, yes. Ever since we got together he's really opened up. I know it's hard to imagine, but Ron's really sensitive." She blushed. "Kissing him is really great too. Maybe it's just because I love him so much, but it's way better than kissing Viktor."

Ginny stared. "Have you guys said I love you already?"

"Of course." Ginny continued to stare. "Well we've been through everything there could possibly be to go through. Nothing more difficult than the last year is ever going to happen to us. And we've both known how we feel for a long time."

"Then what took so long?"

"It's Ron. He's a complete idiot." They both burst into hysterical giggles.

Ginny felt great laughing with her best friend. It had been too long. She had been so focused on how much she missed Harry that she hadn't noticed how much she'd missed Hermione. After a couple minutes of embarrassingly pointless giggling, Ginny and Hermione hugged.

"Talk to Harry," Hermione said, walking out the door.

"I will. And Hermione? Don't leave me for that long ever again."


	3. Chapter 3 - Diagon Alley

At breakfast the next morning, Molly was still exuberant about the news of being a grandmother. As usual, her excitement overflowed in the form of food. "Mum," Ginny protested, after being handed a fourth helping of sausages, "I'm not the one eating for two." She passed her plate to Ron, who didn't seem to mind a sixth or seventh helping.

Molly ignored her daughter. "Harry, dear, please take another helping of eggs. You look far too skinny."

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley," Harry replied, bouncing Teddy gently on his knee, "but I really couldn't eat another bite."

Molly spooned a helping of eggs on to his plate anyway. "Well, just in case you change your mind."

"I thought I would go to Diagon Alley today, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said. "You know, to pick up some new clothes for Teddy. Can I get anything for you while I'm out?"

"That's very thoughtful of you Harry, but I think I have everything I need. Why don't you ask Arthur before you go, though? He was saying something about his quill breaking this week."

"Actually, Mum," Ginny interrupted, "if you and Ron could look after Teddy, I was hoping to go with Harry." Ron dropped his fork and glanced over at the baby, a terrified look on his face. "That way I could make sure Harry gets everything Teddy needs, and maybe even ask the woman who owns the shop about some of the problems we've been having," Ginny explained.

"I don't know Ginny." Molly looked uneasy. "Ron doesn't have much experience with babies."

"But you do. Please Mum, I'm going crazy cooped up here all day."

"It would be nice to have some help," Harry agreed. "And it has been an awfully long time since Ginny had some time to herself."

"No no no no no no!" Ron protested. "I can't take care of the baby. I'll screw it up, you know I will. You'll come back and he won't have any ears or something!"

"Aww, c'mon Ron, Mum'll be here to help you." Ginny said. "And you've got to learn some time, you're about to be an uncle! Besides," she grinned wickedly, "you know Hermione's going to want to have babies eventually. You may as well be prepared."

Ron's face turned a ghastly shade of white.

"I suppose you're right Ginny," Molly conceded. "We can look after him here. You deserve some free time."

"Thank you Mum!" Ginny jumped out of her seat and kissed her mother on the cheek. "I'll go ask Dad about that quill." She hurried to look for her father in his shed just as Teddy started crying in the other room.

* * *

Ginny stumbled out of the fireplace, wiping soot from her eyes. As she stepped away, making room for anyone else who might be coming through, she ran straight into Harry. Completely unfazed, Harry continued to stare open-mouthed at the scene around him. Ginny followed his gaze, and she felt her own jaw drop in amazement.

Diagon Alley had completely transformed.

The last time Ginny visited Diagon Alley nearly a year ago, the place had looked nearly deserted. Many of the shops had been closed, windows boarded up, and those that weren't had more displays of security than of merchandise. The few shoppers had looked haggard and afraid, moving quickly through their business.

But now Diagon Alley boomed with life. Ginny had never seen so many people shopping at once, even the time they waited until August 31st to do their Hogwarts shopping in Ginny's second year. Large groups of witches strolled together, gossiping and laughing loudly. Young children chased each other down the street, their parents shouting halfheartedly after them. A group of teens Ginny thought she recognized as Hufflepuffs were crowded around Quality Quidditch Supplies, pointing excitedly.

Each shop was bursting with life. The bright colors of their displays jumped out at Ginny, making it hard to focus on any single store. But when she did look at just one, she noticed that the stores were more full than they had ever been. They would have to be to keep up with this lot, she thought.

As Harry and Ginny made their way to Magical Munchkins, the children's shop, the road was so packed that they couldn't stay next to each other. As Ginny walked behind Harry, she kept bumping into people headed the other direction down the cobblestone street, her murmured "sorrys" unheeded.

"Can you believe this?" Ginny shouted ahead to Harry.

"This place is a zoo," he shouted back.

"What's a zoo?"

Ginny thought she heard Harry laugh as he shook his head. "It's a muggle thing. They keep wild animals in cages for people to come look at."

"Are zoos noisy?"

"Very."

"Then yes, this place is a complete zoo."

As they turned down a quieter side street, Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and squeezed it tight. "It's like last year never happened," he said quietly, a sad smile on his face.

But that wasn't quite true, Ginny noticed as they continued walking. Little reminders were everywhere. Torn "Wanted" posters with Death Eaters looking out whatever remained of their pictures littered the streets, especially along the edges of buildings. Many of the women had more gray hair and wrinkles than was really normal for their age. People, especially the wizards, carried their wands in their hands rather than in their robes. Behind each smiling face, there was a witch or wizard hardened by the events of the previous year.

Ginny was thankful she'd asked her mother for directions before they left. She could never have found Magical Munchkins on her own in this mess. Even knowing where to go, it took them a good quarter of an hour to get there.

When they finally did arrive, Ginny was not surprised to see that it was the busiest store on the block. Just my luck, Ginny thought. She looked around at a complete loss. Ginny had never seen so many different toys, diapers, books, clothes, bottles, and furniture in one place. Who knew babies came in so many different sizes? She didn't even know where to begin.

As Ginny and Harry continued to stand in the doorway, dumbfounded, a gray-haired, kind looking witch with old-fashioned bifocals and a bright purple apron over her robes approached them. "First time parents?" she asked, smiling at Ginny's stomach.

Ginny glared at her, but Harry interrupted before she could say anything rude. "We're shopping for my Godson, actually."

She looked at Harry for the first time, and gasped in recognition. "Harry Potter?" she whispered.

He smiled at her. "Please, we don't want any extra attention today."

"Of course," the witch said, trying to compose herself. "Of course you don't. My name is Louise Merriweather, the proud proprietor of Magical Munchkins! What can I help you find today?"

"Maybe you can tell us," Harry replied. "Teddy is about three months old, and he is getting too big for his clothes."

Mrs. Merriweather led them through the store, piling baby clothes and special blankets into Ginny's arms. "These swaddling blankets are enchanted so that the baby can't wiggle out, no matter how strong, ensuring a better night's sleep."

Ginny was surprised when Mrs. Merriweather skipped the toy section completely. "Doesn't he need something to play with?" she asked, pointing to the large selection of toys.

Mrs. Merriweather laughed. "Probably not, dear. He hasn't started picking things up yet, has he?"

"Well, no. But the book said something about a 'baby-safe' mirror."

"If he's starting to look around while he plays, the muggles make these wonderful play areas. We have a few, over- Ah. Just over here." She pulled a large, brightly colored box off the shelf.

Ginny eyed it skeptically. It seemed to contain what resembled a large mobile that sat on the floor. The picture showed a baby laying on his back underneath, smiling up at the various mirrors and rattles hanging over his head. "You got this from muggles?"

"Oh, yes. It's made out of plastic, a wonderful material the muggles make that is much more difficult to break than glass or wood. Many of our toys are muggle-made these days."

"Is plastic safe?" Ginny wished she had taken muggle studies.

"Very safe." Mrs. Merriweather never seemed to stop smiling.

Ginny shrugged and handed the box to Harry, who was grinning. "I can't believe I never noticed that witches and wizards don't use plastic before." Ginny rolled her eyes, but laughed anyway.

By the time they were finished, Harry and Ginny's arms were both full. Ginny was beyond relieved when Mrs. Merriweather offered to have everything delivered, though she felt sorry for the owls who would have to carry it all.

"Mrs. Merriweather," Harry said after she took all the boxes to the back, "I can't thank you enough for all your help today."

"It was nothing," she replied, beaming.

"How much do I owe you?"

For the first time, she frowned. "Absolutely not. You will not pay one knut so long as I run this store."

"I insist on paying."

"Mr. Potter," she whispered, "look around. More than half of these parents are muggle-born or half-blood. Some of their children have been wearing clothes that don't fit for the last year because their parents were in hiding or in Azkaban and couldn't buy them new ones. They wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

"But-"

"Please Mr. Potter. Let us say thank you."

"Mrs. Merriweather, while I truly appreciate your thanks, it would mean more to me if you would let me pay." He scanned the room, then pointed to a couple wearing patched and worn robes holding newborn twins. "Please, give them this gift. They need it more than I do."

To Ginny's utter amazement, Mrs. Merriweather burst into tears. Through the noise Ginny thought she heard "most generous person" and "completely selfless", among other things. Embarrassed, he shoved a handful of gold towards her, then pulled Ginny out of the door before any of the shoppers could figure out what the commotion was about.

He pulled her by the hand through the crowds, weaving in and out of slow moving shoppers until they stood in front of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. "How about some ice cream, my treat?" Harry asked, smiling sadly.

"I would love to get ice cream with you." Ginny squeezed his hand. But as they walked through the door, Ginny's spirits dropped. Behind the counter was not Old Mr. Fortescue, but a young wizard with the same large nose and bushy eyebrows. She had forgotten that Mr. Fortescue went missing last summer.

Harry ordered for them (one scoop of chocolate, one scoop of strawberry, and nuts on top for both of them), apparently on friendly terms with the young man. Then he led Ginny to a table outside, close to the window. Ginny licked her cone appreciatively. It was the perfect treat for a hot day.

After several uncomfortable minutes, Ginny broke the silence asking, "So, who is the new shopkeeper?"

Harry sighed painfully. "Fabian is Mr. Fortescue's grandson. He took over when the Fortescues came out of hiding last month."

"Did they ever find Mr. Fortescue?"

Harry shook his head. "No Death Eaters have confirmed it yet, but I think Voldemort probably killed him personally."

Ginny flinched out of habit, then mentally scolded herself. He was gone now, and besides, a name was just a name. "What did You- What did he want with Mr. Fortescue?"

"I think he may have known something about the diadem."

"The diadem? Isn't that the thing you and Luna went looking for in Ravenclaw tower?"

Harry didn't answer.

Frustrated, Ginny thought back to her conversation with Hermione the night before. She watched Harry mechanically eating his ice cream cone, not even bothering to enjoy it. She thought about the empty look on his face when Mrs. Merriweather had thanked him. And, for the first time since meeting him nearly eight years ago, Ginny was not okay with his secrets.

"Harry, what happened last year?"

He stared at her, blankly.

"Harry Potter, you were gone for nine months. When you finally came back, you started a bloody battle, and we all thought you were dead. Then miraculously you weren't, and you defeated the greatest dark wizard of all time. And you haven't been the same since. Now, I deserve to know. What happened last year?"

Harry continued to stare at her, a haunted look in his eyes. After a long minute, he sighed. "You're right Ginny, you do deserve to know. But is this really the time and place?"

You're not getting out of it that easily, she thought. "Harry, do you honestly, think anyone's going to hear you over this racket?"

"I guess you're right." He finished the rest of his ice cream in one bite, then took out his wand and whispered "muffliato" under his breath.

In a quiet monotone he began his story, starting back before Dumbledore died. He spared no detail or emotion, though his voice cracked and wavered at times. Parts of the story were difficult for Ginny to wrap her head around. The horcruxes, the Hallows, it was so unbelievable! She listened in silent awe as Harry described his life fall to pieces.

When he off-handedly mentioned watching her name on his father's map when he couldn't sleep, Ginny felt a part of her become whole again. With all the terrible things that had happened to Harry, she finally began to realize how much he needed her. The more she listened, the more sure she became. What Harry needed, what Harry deserved, was love.

* * *

Harry talked into the night. When he finally finished, Diagon Alley was nearly empty, and most of the shops were closed. For a long time they both sat silently, lost in their own thoughts.

"Harry," Ginny finally whispered, "I had no idea."

"I don't know if you can ever really understand," Harry whispered back. "Ginny, it's my fault. All those people, Lupin, Tonks, Dobby, Fred, even Mr. Fortescue, they died because of me. Because I took too long to figure it all out. I didn't save everyone, I killed them."

"No," Ginny said, suddenly fierce. "If it weren't for you even more people would be dead." Harry hung his head. "You look at me Harry Potter. My brother, Teddy's parents, they did not die because of you. They died protecting innocent people. Don't you ever try to trivialize their sacrifice."

"But if I had just-"

"Stop!" Ginny was almost shouting now. "You have to stop beating yourself up! You did more than anyone should have ever asked of you. What you did, it should have been impossible. You died Harry! And you still beat You-Know-Who. Nobody else could have done that."

Ginny stood, walked around the table to Harry's side, took his hand in her own, and knelt on the ground. "If it weren't for you, Harry Potter, You-Know-Who would still be alive. And I have no doubt that Fred would not be the only brother I lost."

Tears splashed onto Ginny's hand. She looked up in surprise. Harry was crying.

"You deserve someone else, Ginny. Someone who isn't broken."

"I don't want someone else. I want you."

More tears streamed out of Harry's eyes. "You shouldn't be with me. Everyone who has ever loved me has died."

She laughed quietly. "Well that's just not true, is it? What about Ron? Hermione? My parents?" She took a deep breath. "What about me?"

Harry looked into her eyes, taken aback. "What did you say?"

"Harry, I've always loved you. If you didn't know that, you're an even bigger idiot than my brother."

Harry swept her into his arms with a suddenness that took her breath away. And when he kissed her, it was like coming home.


	4. Chapter 4 - Confrontation

It was finally quiet. Teddy had spent most of the afternoon wailing, but just before Ginny needed to start setting the table for dinner he miraculously fell asleep. Ginny sighed in relief. Teddy was taking it to a new level of fussiness: spitting out his bottles, kicking his legs, and even crying real tears. It had been a long day.

Dinner was blissfully quiet. Everyone ate in companionable silence, just enjoying the food. Ron and Harry seemed especially tired. Based on the poorly healed gash on her brother's cheek, Ginny guessed they'd had combat training earlier.

But while everyone else seemed content, Ginny felt on edge. The longer the silence lasted, the more tense Ginny felt. She almost wished Teddy would start crying again to distract her from her thoughts. Almost.

Finally, unable to handle the quiet a moment longer, Ginny burst out, "I'm not going back to Hogwarts next year!"

Her mother looked up briefly, then continued eating. "Don't be ridiculous Ginny."

Irritated, Ginny dropped her fork loudly onto her plate.. "I'm serious Mum. I'm not going back."

Ginny watched her parents exchange a glance. Her father slowly wiped his face with his napkin, pushed his plate away, and folded his hands on the table. "Would you like to tell us why you feel this way?

Ginny took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts. She'd prepared several good arguments, she just needed to keep her head. Focus on Dad, she reminded herself. Ignore Mum.

She stared determinedly at her father. "Well, Fred, George, and Ron didn't finish their seventh year. Fred and George didn't really need Hogwarts to open their joke shop, and I don't really need Hogwarts to play Quidditch."

"You're not actually planning on giving up your only chance at an education on the off-chance you could make a professional Quidditch team?" her mother asked, incredulous.

"I don't think you understand how good I am, Mum."

Ron snorted. "Cocky much?"

Ginny glared at him. "Not that you would know anything about it, Ronald, but other than Harry I'm easily the best player Hogwarts has seen since Oliver Wood left."

Ron glared back. "According to who?"

"Professor McGonagall, for one." To Ginny's satisfaction, Ron actually stopped eating long enough to look dumbstruck. "At my career counseling she was the one who suggested Quidditch. She said I would have no problem at making a team, probably a good one too."

Molly's face was starting to turn red. "Minerva didn't tell you to drop out of Hogwarts though, did she?"

"Well, no," Ginny admitted. "But what good is muggle studies going to do me in Quidditch?"

"You can't play Quidditch forever," her father pointed out. "What are you planning on doing when you're too old to keep playing?"

"Exactly!" exclaimed her mother. "Exactly."

"I'm not sure exactly, but it will definitely have to be something related to Quidditch. It's the only thing I really enjoy."

"Well, won't you need your N.E.W.T.s for whatever that is?" her mother asked.

Ginny thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I shouldn't think so. Ludo Bagman didn't, at least."

"Bagman never finished school?" Ron asked.

"He was the youngest ever Beater to play in Britain," Ginny explained. "The Wasps recruited him when he was only sixteen."

"And look at how much trouble he got into!" Molly shouted.

"Do you really think I'm stupid enough to gamble with goblins?"

"You're stupid enough to drop out of Hogwarts for no reason."

"It's not for no reason!"

"A boy is not a reason."

Ginny froze, surprised. "You think this has something to do with Harry?" she asked, slowly.

"I know this has something to do with Harry. I'm not blind Ginny! I've seen how different things have been for the past few weeks. And I won't have you throwing your future away for a boy." Ginny saw Harry staring studiously at his food, clearly embarrassed.

"You must be blind if you think that's what this is about."

"You are going to Hogwarts in September whether you like it or not young lady."

Ginny laughed. "You can't make me do anything! I'll be seventeen next month, I can quit if I want." Her mother was speechless. "I'm not asking your permission, Mum, or even for advice. I'm telling you my plans."

Ginny could never remember seeing her mother so angry, not even the time Fred and George had blown up their bedroom. She braced herself for an onslaught of shouting, but was rescued by the sudden screams of Teddy. She jumped out of her chair, but before she could take a step she heard her mother growl, "Ginerva, you stay right where you are."

"And make Harry take care of Teddy? Look how exhausted he is Mum, and you know Teddy has been especially difficult today. No. You can yell at me later." She ran up the stairs before her mother had a chance to respond.

* * *

Ginny started Teddy with a bath, usually his favorite part of the day and a sure-fire way to get him to stop crying. But without Harry helping, Ginny couldn't charm the water to keep it warm. So after only about five minutes of laughing and playing in the bath, Teddy started crying again.

Next she tried a bottle, but the results were the same as they'd been all day. When she put it in his mouth, it just made him cry harder.

"Come on Teddy," she crooned, "I know you're hungry. You've barely drunk a drop all day. I know it'll make you feel better if you just eat something." But nothing worked.

Giving up on his bottle, Ginny tried bouncing him, singing to him, rocking, and even peek-a-boo. But he just kept sticking his hands in his mouth and crying.

Just as she was starting to feel frustrated, Harry walked in. He kissed her on the cheek, then gently took Teddy from her. Teddy's hair turned bubble-gum pink the moment he caught sight of Harry. "What's wrong?" he asked, bouncing the baby in the air.

"He won't eat," Ginny replied, holding out the completely full bottle as evidence.

"Aw, sure you will, won't you Teddy?" Harry hoisted Teddy up against his chest, and softly patted his back. After several minutes, Teddy's screams started to die down. When he finally stopped crying, Harry cradled him again, sat down in the rocking chair Ginny was keeping in her room, and popped the bottle into his mouth. To Ginny's amazement, Teddy didn't cry, but started drinking instead.

"See?" Harry said, smiling at her.

Ginny did not smile back. "Harry," she asked, sitting on the side of her bed, "why didn't you back me up in there?"

Harry didn't meet her eyes. "Because I think you should go back to Hogwarts. And," he sighed, "because I also think that this is about me."

"It is a little bit about you," Ginny confessed, "but that's not the main reason."

"I shouldn't be any part of this decision."

"I just got you back Harry. I couldn't handle another year like last year: never seeing you, not knowing if you're safe, missing you so badly that I can't sleep."

His expression softened. "It's not going to be like that this year."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "It's always like that with you."

Harry laughed. "I would give anything to go back to Hogwarts for my seventh year."

"Then why don't you?" Ginny asked, confused.

"I wanted to, but the Ministry wouldn't take no for an answer."

"What do you mean?"

Harry looked down at Teddy, readjusting the bottle in his mouth before he continued. "I guess McGonagall told the Ministry I was interested in becoming an Auror after my career counseling fifth year."

Ginny nodded. "Makes sense."

"Anyway, just a few days after the Battle of Hogwarts they approached me and asked me to start training this summer. They said they would waive the N.E.W.T. requirements because they needed me so badly."

"So you didn't ask them?" Ginny was surprised. _Why didn't he tell me this before?_ she wondered.

"No. I actually turned them down at first. But then I had a meeting with Kingsley, who's head of the department right now. It's pretty bad out there Ginny. There are a bunch of Death Eaters who escaped the Battle of Hogwarts who think they can bring Voldemort back again. Since the Ministry no longer employs the dementors, they're on the loose, terrorizing people. Azkaban isn't secure yet, so some very dangerous people have broken out. Plus, there's a whole bunch of idiots, mostly recently graduated Slytherins, who think they are going to be the next Dark Lord trying to cause trouble."

"So you're giving up what you want to help everyone else. Again."

Harry looked sad. "What else can I do? I have to protect Teddy, and you, your parents, Hermione's parents…" He trailed off.

Ginny's heart swelled with pride. Harry was the best person she knew. He always thought of everyone else before himself. But he shouldn't have to do that anymore. "Let someone else take care of us for once. You deserve a break."

Harry watched Teddy drink for a moment, smiling at him. He looked back at Ginny. "What good is doing what I want if someone I love gets hurt? If things are really that bad, then they do need me. And I can't say no. If anything ever happened to you or Teddy, I would never forgive myself."

"Well that settles it," Ginny replied. "If things are really that dangerous, there is no way I'm going back to Hogwarts while you risk your life every day."

"Ginny-"

"Aaaa-GAAAA!" Teddy interrupted, beaming, his face covered in milk. He looked so silly that, despite her best efforts, Ginny burst into a fit of giggles.

Harry chuckled appreciatively too as he wiped Teddy's face off with his bib. "I guess he's done with his bottle."

"I guess so," Ginny said, still trying to fight off the giggles.

"I'd better get to studying then." Harry stood up and handed Teddy over to Ginny.

"Gggzzzzzzzhh," Teddy said. Delighted with his own success, he opened his mouth wide to laugh, but no sound came out. Ginny giggled again. Teddy had only managed a real laugh a couple of times, but his silent laughs were beyond adorable.

Harry kissed Teddy then Ginny, and headed to his room. He paused at the door and turned around. "Ginny, I love you, and you know I'll support whatever decision you make. But I really hope you change your mind." He smiled sadly, then left.

Ginny grumbled quietly to herself for a moment, then turned back to Teddy. He was still smiling at her, and his hair had shifted from pink to red to match her own. She placed him on her bed, flat on his back, and watched as he happily sucked on his hands and kicked his feet. From time to time he would yank his hands away from his mouth for long enough to flash a big grin and wiggle from side to side.

His good mood lasted for about five minutes before he began to fuss again. He didn't scream like he had for most of the day, but his whimpers were even more sad.

Imitating Harry, Ginny picked him up and patted his back, all the while talking in a soothing voice. It seemed to help for a moment, but then he started fussing again.

For a quarter of an hour Ginny sat rocking with Teddy, patting his back. When her mother finally walked into the room, it was a welcome relief.

Molly Weasley reached out for Teddy without a word, the cradled him close to her chest and sat in the old rocking chair. Frowning, she leaned over and pressed her cheeks to Teddy's forehead. "He feels warm."

"Does he have a fever?" Ginny asked as she sat cross-legged on her bed. "Maybe that's why he's been so fussy today."

"Only a slight fever, if he has one at all." Her mother looked thoughtful. "He seems to be drooling more than normal as well."

"I noticed that too. But I figured that's what babies do, drool." Ginny shrugged.

Her mother readjusted Teddy in her arms, the expertly opened his tiny mouth, squinting as she looked around. "Ah, there it is. See that white spot on his gums?" She pointed to a spot on the bottom gum, just to the left of center. Ginny nodded. "He's got a tooth coming in."

"Isn't it a little early for that? I haven't read anything about teeth in the book yet."

"Mmmm," her mother nodded, "that's why I didn't think of it before. Most babies don't start teething until around six months. But four months isn't unheard of." She shook her head. "I should have realized. Percy's teeth came in early too."

"What can we do about it?"

"Tomorrow morning I'll show you how to brew a potion to put on his gums that should help them hurt less. That should help his appetite too. But in the meantime he can chew on a toy or your finger until he feels better."

Ginny took Teddy back from her mother and skeptically stuck her finger in his mouth. Instantly he stopped crying as he gummed away at her finger. This feels weird, Ginny thought.

The two women watched him together in silence until he eventually drifted to sleep, Ginny's finger still in his mouth. Ginny leaned back onto her pillows and sighed happily. Finally.

Her mother interrupted her peaceful state. "Ginny, about what you said earlier."

Here it comes, Ginny thought, bracing herself. "Mum, I-"

"Please, let me finish." She took a deep breath. "You're father and I have discussed it, and you're right, we can't force you to do anything. But once you come of age, if you are old enough to make the decision to drop out of school, then you are old enough to take care of yourself."

A feeling of unease came over Ginny for the first time that night. "What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is that whatever you decide, on September 1st I expect you to be out of the house."

"Mum, that's not fair! Quidditch trials don't start until October!"

"My decision is final."

"How can you expect me to go back there?" Ginny pleaded. "After everything that's happened, after Fred…" Ginny saw tears fill her mother's eyes, but she pressed on. "How can I just walk through the halls where Fred died like nothing is wrong? How can I eat in the Great Hall every day after seeing so many people I cared for dead on the Gryffindor table? How can I sit through class knowing exactly why Colin Creevey isn't there? Hogwarts is full of terrible memories, and I would have to re-live them every day!"

Tears streamed down Molly's cheeks, but her resolve stayed firm. "You are not the only one who has seen death, Ginerva. What I expect is for you to move on with your life, just like everyone else." And with that she stood up and walked away, crying, leaving Ginny feeling worse than she had all summer.


	5. Chapter 5 - Quidditch

"When are you going to start crawling or something?" Ginny asked Teddy, bored. She had been laying on her stomach watching him grab at the toys dangling over his head for at least half an hour. "It's not that you're not cute," she continued, as Teddy ignored her, "but I can't really do anything while you're doing this."

She glanced out the window and sighed. It was a beautiful day, sunny and breezy, perfect for flying. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been on a broom. And with Quidditch trials only three months away…

"aGOO," Teddy cooed at his toys, drawing Ginny out of her reverie. She glanced at Teddy, then jumped up quickly in shock. "Mum!" she shouted, excited, "Mum, come and see!"

Molly hurried into Ginny's room, apron askew and wand in hand. "Ginny! What's wrong?"

Ginny laughed. "Nothing, Mum. You won't believe what Teddy's doing. Look!"

Both women watched the baby, transfixed. As he looked at the different toys hanging over his head and reached for them, his hair changed color to match them. His hair was orange as he looked at the tiny stuffed tiger, but moments later he lost interest and turned towards the rattle shaped like a lady bug and his hair turned red. Next it changed to bright blue as he grabbed at a whale-shaped teething toy.

"Oh Teddy," Molly breathed, "if only your mother could see."

"Tonks would be so proud," Ginny said.

"Zzzzggggghh!" Teddy agreed, spitting drool all over his hands.

Ginny burst into giggles at the look of intense concentration on his face, and was surprised to hear her mother chuckling too. They looked at each other, grinning, and for a moment it was almost as if the last few days hadn't happened. But Molly dropped her gaze, giving her attention back to Teddy. She kissed him on the forehead, whispering something to him. Ginny vaguely remembered her doing the same thing when she was a kid. The memory made her sad.

"I'm going to write to Andromeda," she stiffly informed Ginny as she headed back toward the kitchen. "She'll want to hear about this."

"I'll send a quick owl to Harry once Teddy falls asleep," Ginny replied. "See if he can stop by Diagon Alley to get a camera tonight so we can send Mrs. Tonks a picture."

"Good idea Ginny," Molly said, her smile not reaching her eyes.

Ginny sat down, crossing her legs, and sighed. Things had been very strained around the Burrow ever since she and her mother had fought. Both of them were hurt, but they both believed themselves in the right and refused to back down. They were at a stale-mate.

The rest of the family and Harry were doing their best to act as if nothing was wrong. Nobody wanted to risk Molly's fury, but they seemed worried about talking to Ginny, too. _They probably just don't want to hurt my feelings by taking her side_, she thought bitterly.

The rest of the day passed slowly. While Teddy napped Ginny helped her mother clean and cook in preparation for Friday night dinner. While Ginny didn't mind the work - it was something to do, after all - it would have been a lot more fun if her mother wasn't ignoring her. When Teddy was awake, Ginny was occupied by entertaining him. He was starting to become a cheerful baby, but he had a short attention span. He would play for ten minutes, then want to be held for ten minutes, then want to play again. His hair didn't change color again, but stayed at the red he always wore when Ginny took care of him.

When Mrs. Tonks finally arrived for dinner around five, Ginny wasted no time. She grabbed Harry's firebolt and ran to the orchard before her mother could stop her.

There was nothing quite like flying. Ginny loved the sensation of leaving her stomach on the ground as she zoomed into the air. She imagined her problems stayed behind too. She felt light as air, and not just because of the broomstick.

She grabbed the muggle football that they kept in the broomshed. Charlie had found it, deflated and abandoned, in the village when he was a kid. She guessed her father had repaired it for them so they could play. They had been using it ever since. It was very close in size to a Quaffle, perfect to train with.

She lost track of time, bouncing the football off trees as she flew, finding new ways to catch it that grew increasingly complicated. When she dropped it she would zoom toward the ground, seeker-style, and nab it just before it hit the mud. She'd never seen another chaser use that move, and she thought of it as _her_ maneuver.

Eventually she became aware of someone watching her. As she slowed down, catching the football one final time, she looked around. She was surprised to see George leaning against the broomshed, smiling for the first time in months.

"I've never seen you chase before," he said as she landed next to him. "You've been holding out on me."

Ginny grinned back at him. "It your own fault if you never paid attention."

"Yeah, yeah. How about a little one-on-one?"

"Absolutely." Ginny hurried to set up the baskets they used as goals by hanging them from trees. But George beat her to it, waving his wand. He tossed her Fred's old Cleansweep, holding his own in his hand.

"Fair is fair," he said, winking.

"All right," Ginny grumbled, "but only because I know you don't stand a chance either way."

George impressed her by not only being a fair chaser, but an excellent keeper. She outscored him by nearly triple, but each point was hard earned. She didn't know if she'd ever had so much fun. On a broomstick George was almost back to his old self. When it became clear that George was never going to catch up, by unspoken consent they transitioned to a simple game of catch.

"I got an angry letter from Mum a couple of days ago," George mentioned casually once they'd both got their breath back.

"Oh yeah? What about?"

"Dropping out of Hogwarts. Couple of years late!" he laughed.

"Has Erroll been lost this whole time?" Ginny asked in mock horror.

George chuckled appreciatively. "It seems as though she thinks I'm a bad influence, and that I've given both of my younger siblings the wrong idea about school."

Ginny groaned. "She told you?"

"Hey, it's not me you need to worry about. You might avoid Percy for a couple of weeks though."

"You mean you're not going to try talk me out of it?"

"Why would I?"

"Everyone else has," she replied glumly.

George studied her for a moment as they continued to toss the ball back and forth. "You've always been your own person Ginny. Why are you so worried about what everyone else thinks?"

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's because they don't really understand."

"I do." He gave her a look of such sadness that Ginny felt tears welling up in her eyes.

"I know you do," she whispered.

"You do whatever you want Ginny, and don't let anyone try and stop you, not even Mum."

"What am I supposed to do though?" Ginny asked. "She says I can't stay at the Burrow after September first, and Quidditch trials don't start until October. I don't have any money."

George shrugged. "You can come live with me."

Ginny gasped. "Mum would be so furious!"

"She'd get over it eventually. She's not mad at Percy anymore, is she?"

"I guess not." She thought about it for a moment. "What about Percy though? There can't be room for all three of us in your tiny apartment."

"Pah, Percy's got his own place." He winked. "Honestly, he's kind of starting to get on my nerves anyway."

Ginny laughed and sped her broom over to George's. She threw her arms around his neck, throwing them into a rapid spin. Laughing, she let go and they both brought their brooms under control again. "You're the best George."

"Yeah, I know," he replied, grinning.

"Let's not tell Mum yet though. I have to stay here and help take care of Teddy anyway. There's no point in her being mad at you all summer."

George nodded in agreement and landed his broom. "So which teams are you thinking of trying out for?" he asked as he shut their brooms in the shed.

"Well, I probably shouldn't set my sights on like, the Holyhead Harpies or anyone too good, but I know the Tornados are down a chaser this year…" They headed to dinner talking amiably about the pros and cons of each team.

* * *

Dinner was a subdued affair. Ron and Hermione were out at some fancy muggle restaurant in London, Percy had to stay late at work, and Bill and Fleur were visiting Fleur's family in France. Teddy, wide awake and full of energy, was the center of attention. Every five minutes or so he was passed to a new person so that everyone had time to eat. Ginny was thankful; usually she was stuck trying to eat with one hand when Teddy was awake at dinner.

Ginny and George continued to talk Quidditch throughout the evening. She saw her mother glaring disapprovingly, but George was right, that didn't matter really. She tried to ignore it.

"We need to take Teddy to a match this summer," Harry chimed in over dessert.

"I don't know if he would really care…" Ginny replied.

"Of course widdle Teddy-Weddy would care," George crooned at the baby in his lap. Teddy was staring right at him, his hair matching George's perfectly. "Besides, it's never too early to start a kid on Quidditch."

"And I need a team to support," Harry added. "Other than the World Cup, I've never been to a match either."

"Obviously you will support whichever team I play for," Ginny pointed out dryly.

"Oh, right, that," Harry stammered. "I, er, forgot."

"The World Cup Final is this summer anyway," Ginny continued.

Harry's face lit up. "Excellent! Any chance we can go?"

George snorted. "Well, it's in Egypt this year, and tickets sold out about three months ago." He passed Teddy to his father. "But if you can figure something out, go for it."

Harry grinned mischievously. "Well, I am Harry Potter."

"The match is in about a week, Harry," Arthur said, throwing his wife a furtive glance. "Even if you were somehow able to get tickets, I don't know how easy it would be to travel on such short notice, especially with a baby."

"Just leave it to me, Mr. Weasley." Harry replied confidently. Molly glowered. Harry turned to George who filled him in on all the details about the match and the tournament leading up to it. Leaving them to it, Ginny took Teddy from her father and carried him inside for his bath.

Teddy was still in a great mood. He splashed, grinned, laughed his silent laugh, and kept grabbing his washcloth and putting it in his mouth. Ginny was happy too. She was finally starting to understand why people loved babies so much.

He stayed cheerful throughout his bottle, and for once went right to sleep without crying. Ginny smiled as she shut the door to Harry and Teddy's room. She was really starting to get the hang of this! She practically danced down the stairs to her room.

She closed the door, then jumped about a foot in the air when she saw Harry sitting in her old armchair. "What are you doing in here?" she whispered.

Harry grinned. "Between Ron and your mom I haven't been able to see you much the last few weeks. Ron's out, and your parents are still pretty occupied with Mrs. Tonks, so…"

Ginny's heart was still pounding, and it had nothing to do with surprise. Obviously she and Harry had been alone before (she felt herself blush furiously at the memory), but they were in _her room_. With the door closed. This was definitely different.

Harry stood up and walked slowly towards her. He put his hand on Ginny's shoulder, squeezing slightly. "I can't get you out of my head Ginny," he whispered, moving still closer. "When I'm supposed to be brewing antidotes your face keeps distracting me." He stroked her cheek with his thumb. Ginny's arm broke out in sudden goose bumps.

"Have I told you I love you yet today?" Ginny asked, suddenly feeling shy.

"Not yet."

And suddenly his arms were pulling her close up against him, and he was kissing her. Ginny threw her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes to reach him better.

They had only kissed this passionately once before, and Ron had interrupted them. But tonight there were no intrusions. Ginny felt Harry's fingers in her hair, and she felt her heart roll over in her chest. The next thing she knew they were laying side by side on her bed.

"Harry?" she whispered as he kissed her neck, "I think this has been the best night of my entire life."

"Really?" He was surprised enough to stop kissing her. "Am I really that good at kissing?"

She hit him playfully on the arm. "Not just because of you, idiot. Teddy and George-" she smiled. "I'm just happy."

Harry kissed her once, gently. "Me too."

Ginny snuggled up against him. "I love you Harry Potter."

"I love you too."

She leaned in to kiss him again. It was a slower kind of kissing this time, but it felt all the more dangerous to Ginny. She felt a deep ache of longing in her heart, and pulled herself as close to him as she could.

After what felt like ages, Harry pushed her away. "I'd better go." He sat up, trying to flatten his hair.

"Don't," she said, gently grabbing his arm. "I'll be good, I promise."

He smiled at her, kissed the top of her head, and laid back down. Ginny put her head on his chest, feeling complacent. What could be better than this? They talked quietly together late into the night, playing with each other's hands. The last thing Ginny remembered was saying she wasn't tired, holding Harry's hand and smiling.


End file.
